Pinner to star in film about life of Sir Elton John

TWO schools and an inconspicuous looking semi-detached house in Pinner are to feature in a film about the life of Sir Elton John.

Elton grew up as Reginald Dwight in a house on Pinner Hill Road and attended Pinner Wood Junior School, Reddiford School and what was Pinner County Grammar School, now Heathfield School.

The star and his civil partner David Furnish will produce the film with their production company, Rocketman, with Billy Elliot screenwriter Lee Hall providing the script.

Details about filming locations for the production, entitled Rocketman, have yet to be revealed, but many of the places which played a part in Elton's life are as they were more than 50 years ago.

David Patterson is business manager at what was the young Sir Elton's grammar school and said: "Our students would certainly be excited if they were to come and film here. There is a lot of the old building left so they could use it, but they would probably have to hide all the modern parts of the school, though you can still see how it was back then."

The singer was born in Pinner on March 25, 1947, and lived in a council house in Pinner Hill Road for the first 11 years of his life with his grandparents. He performed in pubs in the area and after studying at the Royal Academy of Music went on to become an international musical sensation.

Geoff Barr of the Pinner Old Students Association, comprised of Pinner County Grammar alumni, was at the school at the same time as Reginald Dwight, but was four years above him so doesn't remember their paths crossing.

He said people are still fascinated in his story and humble beginnings: "We have a lot of people ringing up asking for information about Elton John, authors, writers and people from the BBC.

"Whenever we get in touch with him he never replies, he did come and play at the school in 1972 or '73, but only three people knew about it before he arrived. He played for two hours and gave the sixth form a colour TV."

Steven Gregory, heritage services manager at Harrow Museum said: "Of course it would be wonderful if they came to film here. It is always very exciting when filming goes on for a local story like this.

"The area has got so much history which goes up to the present day, and things which are more recent and people can remember are sometimes more exciting than things which happened 200 years ago."